Pneumatic malting-kiln.



N0. 706,7!6'. Patented Aug` I2, |902.

B. BERG.

PNEUMATICI MALTING KILN.

4 (Application led Dec. 80, 1901.) (lo Rodel.)

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UNITEDY- STATESd NPTEiWr OFFIGE BERNARD BERG, OF SAN FRANCISCO,CALIFORNIA.

PN EU MATIC VIVIALTIINGrKILN.

SPECIFICATION forming` part of Letters Patent No. 706,716, dated August12, 1902.

Y 1 application tied Beamter 30,1901. serai Nit-87,746. (No man.)

To all whom, t may concern:

Be it known that I, BERNARD BERG, a citizen of the United States,residing in the city and county ofSan Francisco, State of California,have invented an `Improvement in Pneumatic Malting-Kilns; and I herebydeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of thesaine.

My invention relates to an improved apparatus for preparing malt. Itsobjects are to furnish a device in which the air shall iirst bethoroughly heated and sterilized and in Which the air so heatedshall bedistributed more equably through the mass of material than is possibleby`ordinary means. 1

It consists of a heater or furnace having the iiues carrying theproducts of combustion separate from the air-passages, said finesarranged serially, decreasing in diameter and increasing in number insucceeding series, whereby the heating area'of the flues is augmented,heating-chambers, drums revoluble therein, cylinders in said drums,longitudinal partitions in certain of said cylinders, means foradmitting the material from the drum of one chamber to a drum in asucceeding chamber, means for inducing air-currents through y saidchambers and drums, and means for controlling said currents.

It also comprises details which will be more fully set forthhereinafter, having reference to the accompanying drawings, in Which-Figure 1 a longitudinal central vertical section through the kiln.Fig.`2 is a vertical section on line m of Fig. l and showing the upperportion of the passage 6 broken away.

A represents a heater oiyfurnace having the flues 2 arranged in series,as shown, said flues decreasingin size and increasinginnumi ber in thesucceeding series.` By means of suitable partitions 3, disposedalternately between the ends of the fines, the heat, smoke, and otherproducts ot' combustion pass in circuitous course through the chamber 4,into which air is received through shutters 5. The flues finallydischarge into a passage 6,Whence they may be reconducted to the furnaceor discharged into the outer air through a gate 7.

The tlues 2 being so disposed offer a very large heating area to beexposed Within the chamber 4. From the latter chamber the heated andsterilized airis delivered through Isuitable openings 8 into the iirstkiln-chamsides of the trunks 13, so as to form practically air-tightjoints and at the same time allow the cylinder to turn. A series ofsupplemental parallel cylinders 15 are su pported radially of thecylindery 14, and the ends of the former communicate through shortsections 16 With'the interior ot' the cylinder 14.

All these cylinders are perforated, so that air "from the passages 13may pass freely through all of said cylinders and into and through aperforated revoluble drum 17, in which the cylinders arecontained. Thedrum 17 is inclosed in a superposed chamber 18, which communicates withchamber 9 through hoppers 19. These hoppers may be closed by gates 20,as it is intended that ordinarily chamber 9 shall be practically closedexcept for the openings 8. A current of air is induced through thechambers and drums by means of the fans or aspirators 21, disposed inthe passages 13 and operating ina manner shortly to be explained. Accessis had to the interior of the drums for purposes ot' inspection,charging, emptying, tbc., through openings provided with suitableclosures 22.

4This apparatus is devised particularly for purposes of drying thealready-germinated grain. The material to be treated is delivered in amoist condition by means of a conveyer 23 in the top of the chamber18into the drum 17 in such quantity as to cover the cylinders Within butnot entirely fill the drum. When the grain has been sufciently dried inthe drum 17, it is discharged through the hoppers 19 into drum 10, Wherethe process of drying is completed.

Heretofore it has been customary to use a IOO single drum and centralair-cylinder and force theheated air into the latter and out through thesurrounding grain. The difficulty has always been to distribute the airthroughout the mass so that the grain will be acted upon uniformly.Various devices have been employed to prevent the air from the innercylinder seeking the shortest route through the surrounding material byattempting to force it by one means or another to penetrate through thedeeper portions of the body of grain.

In any form of malt-drying apparatus it is essential that the grain besubjected as little as possible to any bruising effects, and so it isthat the containing-drum and air-distributing cylinder are preferably ofcylindrical form, as then they oder no sharp edges for the grain to fallagainst or over, but allow of a gentle movement of one particle upon theother as it is brought gradually to the surface.

In effecting the desired result of an equable distribution I haveemployed certain means of controlling such distribution in the cylinders11, 14, and 15. In the cylinder 11 is a diaphragm 24, extending theentire length of the cylinder and dividing the latter into two entirely'separate though not necessarily equal compartments 25 and 26. Bothcompartments, however, are in open communication with the air-trunks 12and may be closed more or less by means of the slide-gates 27, situatedexterior to the drum. While in the present instance I have shown but onepartition, as that is ordinarily suficient, I do not wish to limitmyself to the use of'a single partition. Though not shown, a similarlongitudinal partition may be placed in the cylinder 14. The air-supply,however, to the various cylinders 15 is regulated by means ofslide-gates 28 in the sections 16. The effect of the aspirators 21 is tocreate a suction in the trunks 12 and cylinder 11 and a forced draftthrough the pipe 13 and cylinders 14 and 15, or, in other words, theheated air is drawn from the chamber 9 inwardly through t-he drum andgrain, While in the chamber 18 the action of the air is from the centerof the drum outwardly through the grain.` By disposing a number ofcylinders l5 as shown the body of the grain in chamber 18 is affected inevery part in a manner impossible with a single central air-distributingcylinder. Having been partially dried in drum 17, the material isdischarged, as before described, into drum 10, where it is subjected tothe drier and hotter air of the furnace and the last traces of moistureremoved. Thus, in e'ect, the material in drum 10 serves as anattemperating means, cooling and moistening the air just sufficiently sothat vit will be in the proper conditionwhen brought into contact lwiththe moist material of drum 17, for if .the fan 21.

the kernels would become when dry as hard and irrefrangible as glass.4The moisture-laden air issuing from the drum 17 into chamber 18 isdischarged thence through apertures 29, and the discharge may befacilitated, if desired, by means of an aspirator 30.

The discharge-aperture 29, containing the aspirator 30, is used when thekiln is first started and when the airfrom thedrum is soheavily ladenwith moisture that it would not pass out readily through Ithe shutters29 above, and condensation would accordingly take place in the bottom ofthe chamber.` The aspirator is driven by the gearing 35, which alsodrives During the operation of the fan the shutters 29 are closed, andas the air becomes drier the shutters may be opened.

When the drums are first charged with malt, the gates or valves 27 and28 are opened to their fullest extent and the cylinders are allowed torevolve freely with the drums. The apparatus is then stopped for aperiod of four or six hours longer. It is now that the function of thegates and of the partition 24 becomes apparent. The apparatus isstopped, so that the diaphragm 24 will be inclined in substantialconformity to the angle of resistance of the grain in the drum 10 andwith compartments 25, whose air-supply is controlled by the gates 27adjacent to the shallow portion of the material. By closing the gates 27the full blast of air may be drawn through the compartment 26 downwardand through the center of the body of grain and the latter be acteduponeveninitsdeepestportions. However, it is intended that a certainproportion of the air-supply should be admitted t0 compartment 25 andpass thence through theshallower portions of grain. This air-supply isaccordingly regulated by opening the gates more or less,- according tothe requirements of a particular case. In the drum 17 the gates 28,controlling the air-supply to those cylinders lying nearest the surfaceof the grain, are partially closed, so as to force the greater quantityof air through the deeper mass of material. When the process of dryinghas been finally completed in drum 10, the iinished product isdischarged through 4a hopper 3l, located in the iioor of the chamber-9.This hopperis ordinarily closed by agate 32 in such manner thatv no airmay enter the chamber except through passages 8 during the operation ofthe aspirator 21.

By means of gates 33 in the trunks 12 the air may be drawn more or lessfrom one end or the other of cylinder 11, as may be advisable under somecircumstances.

In case it is desired to further attempcrate the air entering drum 17, agate 34, communicating with thekouter air, may be opened more or less toadmit a cold draft into the trunks 13.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secureby Letters Patent, is

IOO

IIO

l. The combination in a malting apparatus of a heater, a plurality ofchambers, revoluble perforated drums in said chambers, cylinders in saiddrums, said cylinders adapted to have their ends extend through theheads of said drums, connections between the ends of said cylinderswhereby airis delivered from one to the other, air-passages between theheater and the first chamber, hoods or spreaders in said chamber bywhich the air from said passages is distributed, and means for inducingan air-current through said chambers, drums and cylinders.

2. The combination in a malting apparatus of a heater, a plurality ofchambers superposed in relation to each other, revoluble perforateddrums therein, perforated cylinders in said drums, means for admittingmaterial into said drums, openings in the iioor of the uppermostchambers through which the material in the uppermost drum may bedelivered into the drum in thechamber beneath,

closures for said openings, passages through which air from the heateris admitted to said lower chamber, connections between the ends of saidcylinders, and means in said connections by which the air is drawn intothe rst cylinder through the surrounding material whereby it isattemparated and is thence delivered to the second cylinder and forcedoutwardly through the material surrounding the latter.

3.v In a malting apparatus, the combination of a heating-furnace, achamber within which said furnace is located, a malting-chamber, one ormore mains connecting said chambers, a stationary horizontally-disposedcylinder in the malting-chamber, said cylinder divided longitudinallyinto compartments, mains in which the ends of said compartmentsterminate and valves controlling the flow of air through saidcompartments, and means for forcing air through the apparatus.

fl. In a malting apparatus, the combination of a furnace, an air-chamberwithin which said furnace is located, mains leading from said chamber, ahorizontal, perforated cylinder longitudnally divided into a pluralityof separate compartments, a revoluble perforated drum inclosing saidcylinder, mains in which the ends of the cylinder terminate, valvesadjacent to the ends of said cylinder whereby the flow of air throughsaid longitudinal compartments may be regulated,'and means for forcing acurrent of air through the apparatus.

5. In a malting apparatus, the combination of a horizontal, perforated,hollow structure, means for forcing a current of air therethrough,longitudinal partitions therein whereby the air-current is divided, andvalves at the ends of the cylinder controlling the compartments thereofand regulating the admission of air thereto, and a drum inclosing saidstructure and revoluble thereto.

6. In a malting apparatus the combination of a stationary horizontalcylinder, means for forcing a current of air therethrough, longitudinalpartitions in said cylinder whereby the airis divided, valves at theends of the cylinder for controlling the flow of air through certain ofthe compartments formed by said partitions, and a revoluble druminclosing said cylinder.

7. In a malting apparatus the combination of a stationary horizontalperforated cylinder, partitions in said cylinder whereby the latter isinteriorly divided into a plurality of separatedlongitudinalcompartments, means by which heated airmay be forced through saidcompartments, slide-valves at each end of the cylinder by which thesupply of air to any one of said compartments may b'e controlled, and adrum or germinating-chamber within which said cylinder is contained.

S. In a malting apparatus the combination of a horizontal perforatedstationary cylinder, air-conducting mains with which the ends of saidcylinder communicate, longitudinal partitions in and extending thelength of said cylinder, gates slidable across the ends of the cylinderand regulating the admission of air to the compartments thereof, and arevoluble 4 drum inclosing said cylinder.

9. In a malting apparatus, the combination of a horizontal perforatedcylinder, air-conducting mains with which the ends of said cylindercommunicate, partitions within said cylinder whereby the cylinder islongitudinally divided into a plurality of air-conduits communicatingwith said air-mains, gates or valves slidable across the ends of thecylinder whereby the admission of airto said conduitsv maybe controlled,and a drum inclosing saidY cylinder.

l0. In a malting apparatus, a revoluble perforated drum,a centrally andhorizontally dis- IOO IOS

posed, perforated cylinder in said drum, the

ends of said cylinder extending lbeyond the ends of the drum, mainsconnected therewith, a plurality of perforated cylinders within the drumparallel with the first and having their ends extending beyond the endsof the drum, and short sections connecting the ends of said last-namedcylinders with the central cylinder.

1l. Ina malting apparatus, a perforated drum, a plurality of perforatedcylinders in said drum disposed parallel with the axis of the drum,said'cylinders having their ends extending through the heads of thedrum, means by which a current of air is forced through said cylindersand means in said cylinders exterior to the drum by which the airsupplied to said cylinders is regulated.

l2. The combination in a malting-kiln of a furnace, a chamber in whichsaid furnace is situated, air inlets and outlets in said chamber, aplurality of drying-chambers, the lirst of'said chambers adapted toreceive the air from said heating-chamber, perforated drums in saiddrying-chambers, a horizontal perfo- IIO rated cylinder in the irst ofsaid drums, a whereby the flow of air therethrough Vmay loe longitudinalpartition insaid cylinder, a pluregulated. 1o rality of horizontalcylinders in the second In Witness whereof I have hereunto set my drum,air-trunks uniting the ends of the oylhand.

5 inders in both drums, a suction apparatus in BERNARD BERG.

said trunks whereby a current of air is in- Witnesses: duced through thechambers, drums and oyl- S. H. NOURSE, inders, and valves in each ofsaid cylinders CHAS. E. TOWNSEND.

